ack! help

so, unwinding after 7 hrs of bikie shop hopping, finlay tricked/bribed a thai friend into helping me figure out how to find shops and help talk to them... we'll crap sticks... at least I have a few changs and a bit o sangsom to help...

so as far as I can tell there's the choice of insanely expensive super shiny please don't ride me bikes in squeaky clean shops with no plates that'll be the cheaf of police's kids bike the first time they pull you over, or you can pay a thousand us (or more) of more for a dodgy plate and book... or there are some sketchy chop shops in back alleys that have only slightly over priced but twice as risky . well what great choices..

so I ask this is Thailand really the place to buy a bike? can't I buy a bike in Cambodia or Lao and bring it into Thailand on a 3 month bike visa?

feeling really discouraged about now so any advice is very much appreciated..

I agree with Capt Slash with the Changs etc but maybe an idea of your budget would help!

A thousand US is only about 35,000 baht at the current rate of exchange which would buy you a brand new Honda Wave 100cc with a clutch and a plate! If your looking for a bike with a plate? A thousand US should buy you the plate for a big bike add another Thousand and you should get a decent bike attached to it. What makes you think all the bikes you saw had dodgy plates?

Yes, you could buy a bike in Cambodia or Laos and probably wont be much cheaper but loads of hassle buying, bringing to Thailand and then selling again if you need to! At the end of the day...pay decent money for a bike in Thailand and you will get your money back when you sell it.

There are countless dealers in Chiang Mai. Try 'San' on the road into CM from the Airport next to the music shop, G3, take a look at the shop opposite the train station next to Aya bike hire keep off the Changs and Sang soms, speak to the dealer with a smile and you should find a bike suitable if you dont mind spending the cash. Thailand is a place to ride a bike with some of the best riding in Asia...Nobody ever said the bikes were cheap!

I'm with MBT. Lots of bike shops.
Tell us where you are, what you think you want and roughly what you want to part with for it and we will advise.
Bear in mind one sometimes has to take what is available rather than what one wants. I'm in BKK so won't be of any help if you are not.

quote:
[hr] I'm with MBT. Lots of bike shops.
Tell us where you are, what you think you want and roughly what you want to part with for it and we will advise.
Bear in mind one sometimes has to take what is available rather than what one wants. I'm in BKK so won't be of any help if you are not.
[hr]

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Agree! I went to BKK last week looking for a new helmet....Came back with a new motorcycle. Sometimes when the opportunity presents itself you have to act fast, not screw around looking and talking. What the heck!

first off you guys rule! thanks so much for all the feed back!! totaly amazing!
and yes I had a few changs and a bit of the old lao khao before I stoped that message into the computer.. (trying to keep up with the 90lb girl across from be at the bar!) lol

My budget is about $2,000 usd, but will go higher for the right bike, (like a 4K HD, like my friend found in Chaing Mai!) I don't want to spend a whole lot more than that because I still will need to buy a jacket, helmet, and gps. I was thinking about going with a dirtbike, but the idea of a striped down chopper is a romatic idea.. well not to my butt after a day in the saddle!
but really I don't plan on riding more than 3-4 hours at a stretch.
I love small bikes for around the city, but I'd like something a bit bigger for the highway.
so I was thinking a CRM250 (becasue I love 2strokes and how easy they are to work on, power ect) or a XR400, YZ 426 (or what ever number they are called) but am open to just about anything, I saw a striped down (I think old steed, smooth lines on the tank, mono shock) yesterday that looked like a ton of fun, and I've never been into jap cruzers before..
I am looking for a bike with a plate, I'd like to be able to take it up into Lao PDR and maybe Cambodia sometime. I live in BBK now, been here for 4 months, but am heading down to Kho Chang for 2 weeks to see some friends and see if high season has cooked up some good crashed rental bikes..
then I'm going to try Chain Mai,
I've had experince riding just about everything from 800cc to 11,000cc

and thanks again so much your your help guys!!! it really meens alot to me!

Like to 2 strokes and smaller bikes Phantom 150 should do the trick, big enough comfortable, easy and cheap to get worked on you should ne able to gte one with a plate for about 50% of your budget. But it is a bike you have to ride got keep the rpm's up to have power. Lots of shifting they are capable of 160 Kms with a bit on tinkering